Ann McGuirk (1822-1845)
|contributors=Yewenyi |long_name=Ann McGuirk |birth_year=1822 |birth_locality=Castlereagh, New South Wales |birth_nation-subdiv1=New South Wales |birth_nation=Australia |death_year=1845 |death_month=2 |death_day=7 |death_locality=Tuglow River, New South Wales |death_nation-subdiv1=New South Wales |death_nation=Australia |ifmarried-g1=true |wedding1_year=1841 |wedding1_month=12 |wedding1_day=31 |wedding1_address=Christ Church |wedding1_locality=Castlereagh, New South Wales |wedding1_nation-subdiv1=New South Wales |wedding1_nation=Australia |baptism_address=St Marys |baptism_locality=Sydney, New South Wales |baptism_nation-subdiv1=New South Wales |baptism_nation=Australia |globals= |death_causes=Drowned by husband }} Biography When five months pregnant, Ann was murdered by her husband. Inquest into her death Another inquest was held before the same gentleman, on Monday, the 10th instant, on Campbell's River, about thirty-five miles from Bathurst, on the body of Ann, the wife of Henry Hogan, found drowned in a creek, about 110 paces from Hogan's residence. It appears that about mid-day on Friday the 7th, Hogan and his wife were seen leaving their hut in company together, and going in a direction towards the creek; that a short time after, Hogan came back to his hut with his clothes wet up to the neck ; he left his home, and having met some of the deceased's relatives, he had some conversation with them, and endeavoured to impress on them that his wife had thrown herself into the creek ; the deceased not appearing, nor her body being found during the day, and suspicion having been excited that the husband had caused her death, information was forwarded, which reached Bathurst on Saturday last, when a constable and two of the mounted police were despatched in pursuit of Hogan, and succeeded in apprehending him. On Wednesday last he was brought into Bathurst about mid-day, and lodged in custody. On Sunday, the coroner proceeded to the spot, and on the following day held an inquest, when it appeared that the body was not found until Saturday, the day after deceased was missing ; in consequence of no one living in the neighbourhood where the circumstance occurred who could dive, it was found necessary to construct a raft, which was launched into the creek, and after dragging for some time with a grappling iron, the body was brought to the surface. When the body was found the arms were placed across the body, and the hands clasping the wrists, in such a way as to lead to a presumption that the wrists had been fastened or confined, as it is scarcely reasonable to suppose that the arms of a person in the struggles and agonies of death would remain in such a position as those of the deceased's were in at the time the body was found ; and the opinion of the witnesses, in which the Jury joined, was, that the arms had been confined at the wrists, and that the ligature had either been removed by the person perpetrating the deed after life had become extinct, or had come off in the efforts to raise the body to the surface. We cannot, however, learn that there were any marks on the wrists that would show positively that they had been tied or fastened. The verdict returned was, —found drowned, and suspicion that the death of deceased was caused "by her husband." In the course of the examination it came out, that the deceased was an excellent swimmer, and there is no great probability that if she had accidentally fallen in the creek that she would have been drowned : Hogan is a fine young man, a native of the colony, about 27 or 28 years of age, stands nearly 6 feet 3 inches, and stout and powerful. We cannot find that there had been any quarrel or difference between the parties ; but have been informed that Hogan had been several days previous drinking to excess, and was supposed at the time the circumstance occurred to be labouring under delirium tremens. :: __SHOWFACTBOX__ Category:Ancestry from Ireland Category:Ancestry from England Category:Resided in New South Wales Category:Australian murder victims Category:People murdered in New South Wales